Weekly Forecast: 3.12.2019 – 3.18.2019

WEEKLY FORECAST

3.12.2019 – 3.18.2019

A CENTRAL FLORIDA FISHING FORECAST EVERY TUESDAY

The seatrout are biting — this beauty was caught with Capt. Jesse Austin of Going Coastal Charters.

WIND FROM EVERYWHERE

Typical for this time of year, the wind will be coming at us from all directions. North, east, south and north, in that order. This will make it challenging for the folks wanting to get offshore, but fortunately, there’s still good fishing options in the lagoon, inlets, surf, and freshwater.

The trout bite really seems to be heating up in the lagoon so this may be a good place to start. There are plenty of baits that can be fished on a ¼ or 1/8 ounce jig head from Gulp baits, Saltwater Assassin, trout-touts, Mirrolure Lil Johns, etc. These are all great baits to use to cover some ground while searching for the fish and they work for a variety of species such as snook, redfish, tarpon, flounder, ladyfish and mangrove snapper. You just never know what you going to catch when using this approach, and it’s always fun fighting them on lighter spinning combo.

Find out what all else is going on in and around Central Florida fisheries in the contributor reports below!

IN THIS WEEK’S FORECAST…

SPACE B.O.I. FORECAST

OFFSHORE

79.98%

TOP TARGETS

Tripletail

Snapper

Amberjack

INSHORE

80.11%

TOP TARGETS

Seatrout

Redfish

Black Drum

SURF/JETTY

78.43%

TOP TARGETS

Pompano

Whiting

Snook

GIVEAWAY CONTESTS

For the past year, we’ve drawn an email subscriber every week to win a $20 gift card to Strike-Zone Fishing. This giveaway is going on a temporary hiatus while we instead dole out tickets to the 2019 Central Florida Shootout. Each ticket is good for tourney admission in addition to entry in the grand prize raffle to win a $60,000 new boat. Congrats to this week’s winner, Victor Rienzo of Titusville — Victor, please email us within 7 days to claim your prize.

Over the next eight weeks we’ll be providing readers new ways to win Shootout tickets, in addition to being randomly drawn from our email subscriber list (click here to subscribe), so stay tuned!

Subscribe for Contest Entry

To enter the WEEKLY giveaway contest for a $20 Strike-Zone Fishing Gift Card, all you need to do is subscribe to our fishing report via email. One winner will be drawn from all current subscribers, every week. NOTE: You must contact us to claim your prize if you are announced as the winner!

CONTEST RULES

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

Eligibility
Spacefish Giveaway Contest (the “Contest”) is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are at least eighteen (18) years old at the time of entry. Employees of Spacefish and other companies associated with the promotion of the Contest, and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates and advertising and promotion agencies as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible. The Contest is subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Sponsor
The Contest is sponsored by Spacefish, located at 745 Hibiscus Dr, Satellite Beach, Florida 32937.

Agreement to Official Rules
Participation in the Contest constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon being compliant with these Official Rules and fulfilling all other requirements set forth herein.

Contest Period
The Contest begins on April 24, 2018 at 6:00 AM EASTERN and ends on May 1, 2018 at 12:00 AM EASTERN (the “Contest Period”). Entries that are submitted before or after the Contest Period will be disqualified. Submissions will be accepted for the duration of the Contest by completing the contest entry form on Spacefishreport.com

How to Enter
Online entry will be available by visiting the latest fishing report on our website (spacefishreport.com) and following the directions provided to fill out the entry information, and submit. Limit one (1) entry per person, per email address, and per household for the duration of the Contest Period, regardless of method of entry. Entries received from any person, e-mail address, or household in excess of the stated limitation will be void. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.

Prize Drawing
On or about March 12, 2018, the Sponsor will select potential winners in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received. The odds of being selected depend on the number of entries received. The Sponsor will publish the winner’s name in its weekly fishing report on May 1, 2018. If the potential winner does not claim their prize by emailing info@spacefishreport.com within five (5) days, the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from the remaining non-winning, eligible entries.

Winner Notification The potential winners will announced in the weekly fishing report. Each potential Grand and First Prize winner (parent/legal guardian if a minor in his/her state of residence) will be required to complete, electronically sign and submit a Declaration of Compliance within five (5) days of the date notice or attempted notice is sent, in order to claim his/her prize. If a potential winner cannot be contacted, or fails to submit the Declaration of Compliance within the required time period (if applicable), or prize is returned as undeliverable, potential winner forfeits prize. If the potential winner is at least 18 but still considered a minor in his/her jurisdiction of residence, Sponsor reserves the right to award the prize in the name of his/her parent or legal guardian, who will be required to sign the Declaration of Compliance on the potential winners behalf and fulfill any other requirements imposed on winner set forth herein. Potential winners must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. In the event that a potential winner is disqualified for any reason, Sponsor will award the applicable prize to an alternate winner by random drawing from among all remaining eligible entries. Only three (3) alternate drawings will be held, after which the prize will remain un-awarded. Prizes will be fulfilled approximately 8-10 weeks after the conclusion of the Contest.

Prizes
(1) Strike-Zone Fishing $20 Gift Card

General Conditions
In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Contest is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, bug, worm, unauthorized human intervention or other technical problem, or in the event the Contest is unable to run as planned for any other reason, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either (a) suspend the Contest to address the impairment and then resume the Contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules or (b) terminate the Contest and, in the event of termination, award the prize at random from among the eligible, non-suspect entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to damage the website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages (including attorney’s fees) and any other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Failure by the Sponsor to enforce any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

Release and Limitations of Liability
By participating in the Contest, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Sponsor, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, other companies associated with the Contest, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, representatives, and agents (the Released Parties) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use of the prize (including any travel or activity related thereto), including, but not limited to: (a) any technical errors associated with the Contest, including lost, interrupted or unavailable Internet Service Provider (ISP), network, server, wireless service provider, or other connections, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone, cellular tower or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties; (b) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (c) mechanical, network, electronic, computer, human, printing or typographical errors; (d) application downloads, (e) any other errors or problems in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, errors that may occur in the administration of the Contest, the announcement of the winner, the cancellation or postponement of the event and/or the flyover, if applicable, the incorrect downloading of the application, the processing of entries application downloads or in any Contest-related materials; or (f) injury, death, losses or damages of any kind, to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrants participation in the Contest or acceptance, receipt or misuse of the prize (including any travel or activity related thereto). Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Released Parties liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest, and in no event shall the entrant be entitled to receive attorney’s fees. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.

Disputes
Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in Florida. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrants rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of Florida, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules, which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than Florida.

Dolphin Run Special

In honor of the dolphin migrating through our waters, Mount This Fish Co. has offered Spacefish readers an exclusive — and unbeatable — deal. While supplies last, you can get a Full Mount 60″ Replica for only $360. That’s 50% of the retail price of $720. Just enter your email address below and we’ll give you the link and coupon code to purchase your trophy replica at a bargain!

Fishing Reports

In every week’s Spacefish fishing report, we turn to both fishing pros and average joe’s for input on what’s happening in and around Brevard County’s many fisheries. Check out what people are saying about the bite in the Space Coast this week:

FEATURED CONTRIBUTOR

May 24, 2019

20th Anniversary!

We’re very busy at marina this week getting ready for our 20 year anniversary event on memorial day! I can’t believe we opened this place on Memorial Day weekend all the way back in 1999 — time flies! We’ve got a lot of fun planned, including free drawings for prizes, etc., so come by if you are in the area.

As for the fishing, it’s been pretty mellow, with not much action in particular to be excited about. It’s largely due to very hot conditions and the full moon spoiling the early day bite. By the time they are hungry it is almost too hot out there to fish! This early hot weather is not something we like to see.

Anyway, there is a mixed bag of fish hitting in the lagoon around us. Lady fish are plentiful, and will give a pretty good fight, but not much food value, at least to the people I know. There’s still some trout biting along the shore and around structure, but all the fish are looking for shade and cooler water. There are some deep holes around the islands, and the fish will hold there. Wade fishermen are doing better than those in boats right now. There are reports of some HUGE flounder from the wade guys, too, and we’re talking doormat-sized. However, while they are there, and you can see them, they are teasing by not biting on anything. I am told you can thunk them on the head with bait and they just flutter up and move away…

The inlet is still offering some big snook, but the redfish bite, while there, is not as active as in the past weeks, and you will have to work hard to get them to come up to you. Bait fish is the key. They are picky right now, and all they want is live fish. Snook will be out of season come the end of this month, and as can be typically expected, they will probably start biting like crazy after that.

A different kind of fishing is starting up now. We are seeing blue crabs along our docks and seawalls. Lots of people set some traps in the morning and go back later to see what is there. Others set traps off their docks. Its a different way to have some fun!

Memorial Day Weekend this week! Watch out for those boaters who only go on holiday weekends and fuel their boats with alcohol! Check your safety gear — the law enforcement will be out and checking everyone! Be safe out there and have a great kick off to the summer season!

Kickin’ it in Key West

Welcome, from the southernmost city. Fishing is on fire inshore, offshore and on the reef. Whatever your pleasure, be it filling the freezer or knocking that trophy fish off your list, there is a charter here for you in Key West!

Inshore the big fish is the tarpon. We have schools rolling through the harbor with each tide. Chumming or drifting live pinfish should bend a rod for you. If you want something a little more one on one, a flats or bay boat trip into the islands is what you want, sight fishing at its finest. Permit and bonefish are still running with the tides. Talk to your guide and see what your best options are to shoot for a grand slam!

Offshore, it’s dolphin season! Any decent weedline after 250 feet should have some fish on it. If you don’t hook up after a couple miles don’t be scared to run out. We’ve had lines out as far as the wall and beyond (20 miles). If you’re not hooking up stop on a larger patch and chum, throw bait and drop a jig deep. Sometimes they’ll find you 🙂 Drifting live baits on the color change should give you a couple shots at sails possibly a passing cobia. Give it time and you should be good.

Now for what I’ve been waiting on 🙂 I’m a meat hunter when it comes to fishing. Around the full moon in May and June the mutton snapper spawn. Hard fighting, delicious and beautiful is the best way to describe them. Look for schools out west in 110-120 ft. over hard flat bottom. It’s an afternoon bite so there is no rush to get out there. Giant yellowtail snapper and an occasional black grouper are your by-catch. Remember they just up the size to 18 inches and dropped the bag limit to 5 per person.

Take a kid out and let them have a go at these big bottom fish! Take a 2 speed, drop it in low gear and have them crank! Blow their mind with a giant fish and they’ll fish every day. That’s what it’s all about. Stay safe everyone and fish smart not hard 🙂

Weeds Make for Tough Sledding

This past week would be rated a 6/10 on the Richter scale. One day was great and the next days were dead. Kings were hard to get due to the weed population — it’s absolutely unbelievable what we are dealing with here. It’s virtually impossible to get a bait out without snagging a weed in the first five feet and I sure hope it clears up soon. It’s making us look like a fool blaming poor fishing on weeds…..

Bottom fishing has been very good, though. AJs, almacos and banded rudders are plentiful on all the wrecks and ledges. This is providing much needed action to save the days on our trips. Grouper are a tad slower due to the millions of giant red snaps.

See you in the Fall!

It ain’t over til the fat lady sings, and I can hear her her in the distance!

With Pompano season officially over, this will be my last report for a while. I want to start off by saying thank you to everybody who has tuned into Spacefish over the last year to read my surf fishing reports. We had a great pompano run this year and I look forward to an even better one next season!

While waiting for the coming season, I like to prepare myself for next year’s pompano run. This is the time to service all of your fishing reels and apply new fishing line to make sure they are all in tip top shape when the pompano are back on Brevard-area beaches. Another thing I like to do to prepare myself is to hit the beach in search of fleas to rake up, blanche off and freeze. When employing this method, make sure you are instantly putting the fleas in ice water to cool before patting the fleas dry with paper towel for freezing.

I want to finish my last report of the season by reminding you guys that, even though the pompano are very few and far between this time of the year, you can still fill up your cooler with plenty of whiting and croakers. Add sheepshead to that list if you’re able to fish around structure. Bait of choice for these species is going to be Fishbites, peeled shrimp, sand fleas and fiddler crabs.

If you’re still having that Pompano fever and are ready for a summer vacation, you can always book a trip to Alabama or the OBX, NC. That’s where the Pompano are heading and will be until the cold forces them back down to us in mid October. Otherwise, the beaches on our Space Coast Will still have plenty of action as the summer surf bite heats up for the huge Tarpon and over slot Snook! To cover these subjects, I’ll be passing the torch to my good friend Joey Antoneli to be filling in for me until Pompano season returns. Joey is a highly respected angler in our area and has a strong following on YouTube. Stay tuned to some awesome fishing from him followed by some incredibly helpful reports!

I’m signing off here and wish all of you guy’s tight lines and even tighter knots!

An Unusual Run of Business

Leah got herself a Gator on a recent charter with Capt. Mark Wright

What an unusual run of business for me this past week. One day I took part in a two boat charter that was originally slated as a four boat trip; another day I filled in for Capt. Jim on a supposedly nearshore trip, and finally finished off with a Mosquito Lagoon charter with a couple of guys from Ohio.

The two boat trip started later than we would have liked as the clients were unable to meet until 0700. That’s ninety minutes later than we should have launched given the Full-moon scenario we faced. Tossing top-water plugs and soft plastic lures around the mullet pods produced no fish for us.

Moving to a nearby bridge we quickly found groups of black drum and each boat hooked up only to break off. Of course the hardheads were more than eager to eat our live shrimp and jighead rigs if we could get them past the puffers!

Our nearshore trip was called off — not by weather — but by FWC turning boaters away from the Port Canaveral ramp as ALL of the available parking was filled. Silly me, while I knew the CFOA tournament was happening, I completely forgot about the boat races.

We switched fishing gear and headed inshore from Titusville. This trip started about 10 A.M., laughably late. Other than a couple of dozen catfish our only prize was Leah’s Gator trout!

Finally Mike and Chad joined me in the Mosquito Lagoon. Short-cast syndrome for one of the guys convinced me to anchor down and soak mullet chunks. The catfish were thick and hungry, though I eventually found some willing redfish and each angler got to experience tight strings and a few photo ops.

Mike released this slot redfish he caught on a chunk-o-mullet while fishing with Capt. Mark Wright!

Bait Slow on the Beach

Kingfish action has improved along the beaches this week but the bait situation is still not what we had hoped for. Bait gathering each day has taken longer than it should. Once you get bait things start happening quickly though. Slow troll these on a wire stinger rig. Most of the kingfish are running 20-25 pounds right now. We’ve been finding a few schools of big jack crevalle south of Sebastian. They are not in good numbers yet, but the fish are all in the 20 to 35 pounds range. If you like a fight, these fish will bring it!

In the lagoon, trout, black drum and small snook have been the most common species that we are catching. Live fingerling mullet or shrimp are your best baits. Skitterwalk plugs early and jigs later in the day will usually get these species to strike. Tarpon are due to show up in numbers any day now and we are anxious for their return.

Sebastian Nearshore/Offshore

Andy with a nice snapper!

Things were all over the place last week! We had some high winds when they were supposed to be calm, and some calm days when it was supposed to be windy. Hit some nearshore reefs for Mangrove Snapper, Lane Snapper, Triggerfish, Bonito and King Mackerel. Saw a few Cobia but couldn’t get them to eat. Along the beaches were schools of big jack crevalle and bluefish. Live bait was best for all but the jacks and bluefish. Inlet water is clean and the redfish bite has been a bit slow.

Noah caught his first Cobia on Mothers Day!

The forecast looks good until mid-week, then we will have some winds and higher seas. Fish the beaches for jacks, bluefish and Bonito with artificial and if you want some Kingfish hit the nearshore reefs with live greenies and slow troll along the reefs. The offshore reefs should have good numbers of Mangrove and Mutton Snapper as well as some AJ, Kingfish and the occasional Mahi. If you can find good numbers of pigfish and croaker, the snook bit is good but the cudas and Jewfish are thick and its hard to get one in without it getting eaten.

Ponce/New Smyrna

We’ve had a great mixed bag of fishing this week. The black drum bite has continued to be good. Any type of stinky bait fished on a jig-head will typically get them to eat. The lagoon has been loaded with jacks, ladyfish, blues and trout. We also started getting good numbers of tarpon ranging 30 pounds up to 100 pounds!

Welcome to the Jungle!

Full Moons

After checking the weather and moons, I decided to hold off on the fishing to later in the afternoon on Sat. Hit Wabasso and headed to the south point. Bait was everywhere, and I could see tails. Throwing a gold paddle tail on red jig I immediately hook up, I was thinking red, but was pleasantly surprised with an 18 inch snook. I’m thinking we’re about to have a great day. Next cast, boom, another snook at 22inch. This is too easy and our measurements are heading in a great direction. 2 hours, every lure brought, a bunch of jacks the size of my hand, and several hundred cast later I called it a day. I never made it to full dark as my gheenoe is not properly equipped at the moment. Never got a red, but I was seeing plenty of them. Wasn’t my worse day, wasn’t my best.

Plenty of Fish and Blue Water Shallower

It’s starting to get really good offshore with blue water in only 60-70ft. We got out Tuesday despite breezy west winds and storms south of the port. There were not any pogies off the beach, but we did see a few tarpon while trying. Unfortunately, the weather forced us further north and way shallower than where I think would have been the best bet. We still managed to get a few snake kings and the usual red snapper in 100ft. What you didn’t get to see was a mangrove and a big lane snapper.

Other than a few days in February and April, this year has been below average for mahi. There’s still a chance from wherever you hit blue water east as far as you dare. Inside the stream, you’ll have to deal with bonitos, cudas, and maybe kings while trolling. Near and in the Gulf Stream, there’s a far outside chance of a blackfin, sail, or wahoo.

There aren’t many gag or red grouper left out of Port Canaveral because all the “critically endangered” red snapper, goliath grouper, and sandbar sharks have taken over and forced them south. The best chance at them is way southeast from the port over rock bottom. Look particularly for subtle structure because there will be the least competition. It’s often not subtle underneath what you mark. Upward sticking structures such as wrecks will not hold many grouper because all the “critically endangered fish” will eat them, their food, and their eggs.

For those of you who still remember the good ole days, the northern third of the Indian River Lagoon system has been dying rapidly over the past few years while the amount of boats fishing has been rapidly increasing. My usual grand slams have been replaced with algae slams. It’s so brown that you can’t see bottom unless you’re in less than 8 inches of water. Manatees have eaten all the seagrass and it cannot regenerate. Green algae is reaching the surface and has grown several feet tall. Red algae is also present.

Due to these issues, I’m suspending my inshore reports indefinitely. I’ll still do videos and pictures, but they won’t be publicly shared until at least 14 days. All my fishing will continue to involve picking up trash, catch and release, and very careful handling. I will be touching trout as little as possible and keep all fish in the water as much as possible.

Fly Fishing the Flats

The weather is finally starting to stabilize and fish are stalking the shallows. This time of year can offer some of the best in sight fishing for a multitude of species in shallow water on fly. The transition from Winter’s cooler water temps and the warmer waters of Spring to Summer’s patterns is starting to finally take place. There is no better time for big Trout and belly crawling shallow water Redfish for anglers who sight fish on fly. Water levels are still fairly low but clear water is still the key in the North Indian and Mosquito Lagoons. The early morning bite has been very productive using top water Gurglers, especially for Trout and Snook.

Crustacean patterns are still producing fish but key in on baitfish patterns for targeting the larger fish in deeper water. As mid day approaches, focus on mangrove shorelines for shallow water Redfish or Snook, even as the water temps begin to rise. We are blessed to live where the fishing can be productive all year round, but you have to change tactics throughout the day to stay productive. Just remember to stay hydrated and covered up and a full day on the water can still be enjoyable.

For anyone looking to experience sight fishing the shallows on fly and light tackle contact the Charter Captains of Florida Fly Co. Charters on Facebook or our website.

2019 BOATING & FISHING EXPO

This year’s Boaters Exchange Expo is April 6th, 2019. If you’ve never been, this an awesome, FREE, event that you don’t want to miss. There’s food, beer, boats, and some amazing guest speakers. This year features Joshus Jorgensen of BlacktipH, Joey Antonelli, Leiza Fitzgerald, Justin Ross, and more.

51ST ANNUAL OFFSHORE SLAM

Early registration is now open for the FSFA 51st Annual Offshore Slam. The tournament is June 1, 2019, and boasts big, guaranteed cash prizes including: $13,000 in General Awards, $5,000 Big Fish, and $3,000 SLAM!

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Check out what’s been caught on camera while fishing in around the Space Coast this week.